Monsanto CEO calls Syngenta approach 'a long game': WSJ

ZURICH (Reuters) - Monsanto Co (MON.N) Chief Executive Hugh Grant called the company’s attempt to buy Swiss group Syngenta AG SYNN.VX “a long game” and said he still wants to get it done despite Syngenta’s rebuff, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Syngenta again on Tuesday rejected the offer but said it will sound out shareholders for their views on the Swiss crop chemicals maker’s opposition to rival Monsanto’s $45 billion takeover approach.

In an interview published on Wednesday, the paper quoted Grant as saying his pursuit of Syngenta could play out over several months and that if no deal materialized Monsanto was still keen to expand in pesticides.

“We’ll figure out another way of doing that,” he was quoted as saying. “This isn’t one where you fold up the tent and go back to how things were.”